A thousand-year-old family that began with the Battle of Makino

Chapter 52: The King of Chu besieged the Song Dynasty, and the Bai family took action

The eighteenth year of King Chuzhuang and the one hundred and seventy-fifth year of Bai Kingdom

Qi Qinggong ordered an attack on Ju State, which relied on the support of Jin State, in order to get rid of Jin State's hegemony. Later, Qi Qinggong increased contact with Lu in order to dismantle the strategic fortress of Lu in the east of Jin.

At this time, Jisun, Shusun, and Mengsun, the three emperors of the Lu State, seized the military and political power of the Lu State, and established relatively solid transnational alliances with the ministers and officials of the Jin State respectively. Lu Xuangong and the Dongmen clan believed that when the Jin Kingdom's hegemony was in confusion, they should actively contact the Qi State authorities as capital to fight against the Three Huans. So Lu Xuan Gong and Qi Qing Gong hit it off immediately.

The nineteenth year of King Chuzhuang and the one hundred and seventy-sixth year of Bai Kingdom

When Jin and Chu competed for hegemony in the Central Plains, the main goal was to compete for the Song Dynasty. Whether the Song Dynasty surrendered or not was also an important symbol of their hegemony. In the past, King Cheng of Chu was defeated by the Song Dynasty, and Duke Huan of Qi dominated the Central Plains; King Mu of Chu stationed crops in Meng Zhu of the Song Dynasty, and also had a sign of dominating the Central Plains.

Therefore, after King Chuzhuang pacified the barbarians Baipu, in the sixth year of King Chuzhuang's reign, he competed with Jin for the Song Kingdom and defeated the Jin army in Beilin. The next year, the Chu State ordered Zheng to attack the Song Dynasty again. They fought in Daji. The Song army was defeated again, and the Song Dynasty was forced to build a city. Afterwards, King Zhuang of Chu focused on attacking Chen and Zheng, and temporarily put aside the Song Dynasty, while the Song Dynasty firmly attached itself to the Jin Dynasty.

In order to completely surrender the Song Dynasty, King Chuzhuang pointed the finger at the Song Dynasty after the Battle of Bi. Last year's attack on Song Dynasty was just a lesson. Now we are well prepared but have no excuse. At this time, Wu Shen came up with an idea and said:
"Your Majesty, why don't you send someone who has a grudge against the Song State to ask the Qi State for questioning? Don't ask for help from the Song State when passing through the Song State. According to the character of the Song people, they will definitely detain him or even kill him. In this way, your Majesty will not have any trouble." Is there an excuse to send troops?"

King Chuzhuang hesitated after hearing this, but for the sake of hegemony he still agreed ruthlessly. He then summoned Shen Zhou and asked him to go to the State of Qi for employment. He said to him: "Don't borrow the road from the State of Song." He also sent his son Feng to the State of Jin. He also did not ask for help from Zheng Guo. He also used this opportunity to test Zheng Guo.

Shen Zhou knew that because he had offended the Song State in the Meng Zhu War, his final fate would not be good, so he said: "The people of Zheng State are sensible, but the people of Song State are stupid. The envoys to Jin State will not be harmed, but I But I will definitely be killed. Pity my wife, children and parents! I lost my husband, father and son so early!"

King Zhuang of Chu said: "If Song really kills you, I will definitely send troops to attack him to avenge you. In addition, I will agree to whatever you ask for."

Seeing this, Shen Zhou immediately introduced his son Shen Xi to King Chuzhuang, then solemnly saluted King Chuzhuang who had his eyes closed and remained motionless, and then turned around and left. After Shen Zhou's figure disappeared, King Chuzhuang dared to open his eyes and looked out the door complicatedly, a sigh echoed in the palace.

When Shen Zhou arrived in the Song Dynasty, the people of the Song Dynasty stopped him and refused to let him pass. When Shen Zhou saw this, he immediately scolded: "Get out of the way. I am an envoy to Qi State on the order of the King of Chu. You, a small country, dare to block the way of an envoy from a big country. Why don't you get out of the way quickly? Otherwise, wait for our heavenly soldiers to attack." When it arrives, your small country will be wiped out in ashes!"

The leading Song general was indeed very angry, but he was a little wary of Chu's strength and made no next move. He just stood in the way of Shen Zhou. Upon seeing this, Shen Zhou sneered and mocked:
"Hmph! Since you are afraid of our country's strength, why don't you get out of the way? Is it to protect your country's insignificant veil of shame? Why don't you get out of the way? Have you ever heard that good dogs don't block the road?"

At this time, Hua Yuan of the Song Dynasty said: "Passing through our country but not borrowing the road is treating our country as their subordinate county; passing through other countries but speaking rudely is treating our country as their subordinates. Treating us as theirs To treat us as their subordinates is equivalent to subjugation of the country; isn’t it humiliating to regard us as their subordinates?

If we kill their envoys, they will definitely attack us, and the result of attacking our country will be its destruction. Anyway, it’s the same as the country’s subjugation. Do we still have to endure their humiliation? "After saying that, he stepped forward and killed Shen Zhou with a sword.

When King Zhuang of Chu heard that the envoy had been killed, he was furious. Then he stood up and walked out. The attendants chased him and gave him shoes. They only caught up with King Zhuang when they reached the vestibule and put them on for King Zhuang. The swordsman chased him outside the palace door. The man who prepared the carriage chased him to Puxu City before letting King Zhuang get on the carriage.

Fall:

King Chuzhuang mobilized all three armies and soon surrounded the Song Dynasty. The monarchs and ministers of the Song Dynasty were frightened and sent Le Ying to Jin to ask for help. Jin Jinggong wanted to send troops to rescue him, but Bo Zong said:

"Your Majesty, you must not do it. There is a saying from the ancients: 'Although the whip is long, it cannot reach the horse's belly.' The Chu State is now well-equipped with soldiers and food, and the wise ministers and generals in the country are like crucian carp crossing the river. This is God's blessing. Chu State cannot fight with him.

Although the Jin State is powerful, after the Battle of Bi, our country's strength was greatly damaged, and it is still far from enough than the Chu State. What's more, there are many orders in the country. This is also God's arrangement. Can we go against God's will?

The proverb says: 'High and low, up and down, are all in the heart. "The rivers and lakes contain muddy water, there are poisonous insects and long snakes hidden in the mountains, forests and grasslands, and there are spots hidden on the beautiful jade. The monarch must endure humiliation. This is the common way of God. There will always be a time when the state of Chu will decline, so you should wait for it!" "

After hearing this, Jin Jinggong stopped sending troops. At the same time, in order to prevent the Song State from surrendering too quickly, he sent Xie Yang to the Song State and said: "The Jin army has poured out and is about to arrive. You must hold on."

He also said: "The Jin State has supported a lot of weapons and food, which are on the way. As long as we survive this period and wait until the Jin soldiers arrive, the Song State will soon recover." He told the Song State not to surrender to the Chu State.

The monarchs and ministers of the Song Dynasty believed that they were confident with the power of city defense and the assistance of the Jin Kingdom. After hearing this, they decisively agreed: "I will never surrender to the Chu Kingdom."

King Chuzhuang here saw that the walls of the Song capital were built by the Hua Yuan Dynasty in Jin Dynasty. They were high and hard. He felt that there was nowhere to attack, so he ordered a siege to prevent a single grain from entering the Song capital.

The 20th year of King Chuzhuang and the 177th year of Bai Kingdom

May
The Chu army had been besieging the capital of Song for almost nine months. The food in Song had been exhausted, and some people had even exchanged their sons for food. At this time, a pair of grandsons in the city immediately asked to see the Duke of Song after seeing this situation, saying:
"It's been nearly nine months now, and the Jin army hasn't arrived yet. I think it won't arrive. Now there are people exchanging children for food in the city. Is Song Gong indifferent?"

When Song Gong heard that the people of the country had begun to exchange sons for food, he did not even say that he would surrender. He cried and said: "As long as the King of Chu can withdraw his troops and save the people of my city, I will agree to any conditions."

The old man said: "Any conditions are acceptable?" "Any conditions are acceptable!"

The old man nodded and said: "Well, I will go this journey for the Song Kingdom for the people of this city, and please take good care of my grandson. In addition, you need to send someone who can keep his word to go with me. "

Then Song Gong sent Hua Yuan to accompany the old man.

The two men hung down from the city wall and soon arrived at the gate of the Chu army. The soldiers of the Chu army yelled: "Who are you?"

The old man bowed and replied: "The old friend Yin Sun Shu'ao of the State of Chu came to visit!"

Sun Shuao saw the old man in Sun Shuao's tent. After bowing, he asked, "Senior, are you okay?"

The old man replied: "Thank you for your concern, but today I am here for the Song Dynasty!"

It was a little difficult for Sun Shuao to do. The old man took off the white cloth on his forehead, revealing the divine seal.

"Are you Bai's son?"

The old man smiled slightly and said: "Exactly, I am Bai De, the third younger brother of contemporary Bai Gong. Originally, I was not willing to participate in the war between Chu and Song Dynasty. This is not in line with the Bai family's oath, but for the sake of the people of Song Dynasty, I Had to come.”

"What happened to Song Du?"

"Ling Yin knows that Yi Zi cannibalism has already occurred in the capital of Song Dynasty. This is no longer a war between princes, but a massacre to wipe out the people of the country!"

Although Sun Shu'ao felt very uncomfortable, he shouldn't have made the decision. Bai De continued: "Now the Chu army has been besieged for nine months. Even if Chu's thousands of miles of land are fertile farmland, I'm afraid it won't be able to support the three armies for a long period of war, right?"

Sun Shuao couldn't hide it anymore and said, "To be honest, our Chu army doesn't have much rations left!"

Bai De said: "The purpose of the Chu State this time is to surrender the Song State instead of destroying the Song State, right? Now Song Gong has asked me to tell you that he is willing to surrender. Hasn't your goal been achieved?"
If you continue to besiege, what other benefits will there be besides gaining a dead city that cannot be occupied and gaining a notoriety that can be attacked by other countries at will? Moreover, I have already sent a letter back to the White Kingdom. If you still do not withdraw your troops, the White Army will arrive within ten days. I don’t think even the princes of the world can say that Bai Guo’s sending troops this time is unethical! "

After careful consideration, Sun Shuao decided to agree to Bai De's proposal, so he took Bai De and Hua Yuan to meet the King of Chuzhuang. After hearing this, the King of Chuzhuang was also worried that the soldiers had been abroad for a long time, and the domestic fields would be left uncultivated, which would inevitably lead to desolation and brewing. It will cause a food disaster in the coming year. He believed that continuing the siege would not be profitable, but would be harmful, so he agreed to negotiate peace with Song.

Soon, the King of Chuzhuang and the Duke of Song established a platform alliance, agreeing that the Song State would take Hua Yuan as hostage, and the Chu State would withdraw from the siege and return.

On the way to the class, King Zhuang of Chu said to Sun Shuao: "Baide is a true gentleman! He is polite, polite, virtuous and benevolent, and he still has talents. How great would it be if you gave me the Kingdom of Chu!"

Sun Shuao replied: "There are many gentlemen in the Bai Kingdom, and the Bai family is the most important among them. They are the benchmark for the world and the mirror for the world. With such a mirror, the world will not be too cruel! I am also favored by them. Quite a lot!"

As soon as the Chu army retreated, three days later, Bai's food convoy to support Song's capital arrived quickly. Many of them were purchased by Bai from surrounding countries, so it was so fast. The hungry and skinny Song people looked at the grain trucks and the Bai people in white clothes on the cars, as if they saw the white gods descending to earth to rescue the people.

Some people even started to worship unconsciously, which prompted the Bai people to constantly explain and comfort them. When the porridge was being served, a man suddenly burst into tears while drinking the porridge. Someone asked him why he was crying, and he said:

"Just one day, as long as I carry it for one more day, my daughter will not die! I am a beast! In order to survive, I trade my daughter with others for food." Suddenly he stood up and looked at a Bai family member, resentful explain:

"Why didn't you come earlier? If you had come one day earlier, my daughter would not have died. Why? Why?" After saying this, he hit the wall and died.

Bai De said to Bai Yu who came to deliver food: "This is the meaning of my Bai family's existence!"

King Chuzhuang's siege of the capital of Song Dynasty was of great significance. The siege lasted for nine months, but Jin State never dared to send troops, which shows that Chu State's hegemony was strong. Although it ended with the Chu State returning without success, the princes and states became even more frightened when they saw that the Chu State could actually support the three armies to fight for half a year without any worries.
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King Zhuang of Chu forced the Song Dynasty to surrender to Chu, but he did not easily attack the city with troops. Later, when he saw that Song Dynasty was poor and difficult to support, he took the initiative to withdraw his troops. This kind of approach of approaching the city with troops, encircling it without breaking it, and forcing it to surrender is also a rare combat example in the military history of our country and has far-reaching influence.

——"On Ancient Strategy"

(End of this chapter)